Security Issues

I post this picture of our front gate where we are presently staying, so that you can see the different security measures that are typical of this area of Johannesburg. You'll see that the gate is electric with electric wires that go across it. Over in the left corner of the wall you can see more of the wires which run the entire length of the surrounding walls of this home. On the inside of that is coiled barbed wire that also runs the entire length of the walls. The black box that you see in the corner sends the radio signal to the armed response security company who is supposed to be at the site within minutes of an alarm signal. The house itself is wired with motion detectors, video detection and panic buttons. So we have 2 security systems at the house ( and electric fence and a house alarm) which are tied together and relayed to the security company. I tell this all to you so that you can understand better what happened to us on Tuesday two weeks ago. Here we go:

Tuesday mornings are the time for Ladies' Bible Study here at the house, so we were up early preparing for that event. About 7:30am the alarm goes off at the house and so we ran to our bedroom to turn it off via the turnkey. I turned the key and the alarm turned off, so we waited for the security company to come and check things out for us. In the meantime, Tolkien (the dog whose nose is in the picture) and I checked out the yard and didn't find any intruder. Soon the alarm went off again and when I ran into the bedroom to turn it off the nothing happened. So now while we're waiting for the security company to arrive, the alarm is sounding. After about 45 min. with no security coming, I called them and asked where they were. The response I got was certainly not expected. I was told that there was no record of an alarm going off at our residence and so no one was coming. Exasperated I held the phone up and then put it to my ear and asked the lady if she could hear the alarm sounding; she said that she could yet no one would be coming, but I could request a technician to come the next day. I asked her how was I to turn off the alarm and how could I find out what was wrong if no one was coming, so she transferred me to a technician who proceeded to tell me how to turn off the alarm. Needless to say he didn't know this system, and there was no help until the next day. Thankfully soon after I hung up with the security company the alarm turned off. Now the only thing happening was a buzzing in our room that told us that something was still not right, but at least the alarm was off. While the ladies arrived for Bible Study I kept trying to get someone out to look at the alarm. I also tried to turn off the alarm via the keypad this time. This system is never used by our teammates (who are renting this home) but I put in the code anyway and that made no change either.

Finally, a friend of ours was able to talk with two friends of his who are in the alarm business and they agreed to come out and look at our system. The first guy, Ross, arrived and turned the power off to the fence (220 system not 110). He fixed two wires on the fence that had fallen down and were touching each other, but he could find nothing more wrong with the fence. He also discovered that the voltage was significantly off and would have been no deterrent to any thief. Then another guy, Craig, arrived and discovered that in the house our key lock wires were broken off and that was why the alarm wouldn't shut off. So we had to tie the wires off and shut the system down. There was nothing more that we could do until the technician arrived the next day, so we called it quits for the day and entrusted our well-being to the Lord.

The next day I called early to get an idea of when the technician was coming so that we could plan our day, and I was told that they had no idea and he would call about 20 min. before he was to come. Needless to say, after waiting all day for him, he arrived at 3pm. Here is what we discovered:

1. the alarm code on the keypad was wrong and so we couldn't use that system if we had tried.

2. the battery that powered the radio signal to the security company was so dead that it hadn't been working for many months.

3. something was definitely wrong with the fence, and we had to keep it off until an electrician could come and look at it.

So instead of having had two security systems for the last several weeks to protect us we had had no physical security at all. I was reminded of Ps 18:2, "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." While we are doing all we can to protect ourselves from evil, our hope is in the Lord alone to encompass us about with His protection. Let me tell you that you can sleep well at night by trusting in the Lord!!

Lion Attack!!

When the Brown's suggested we go to the Lion Park and let the kids pet the cubs, I was excited about a new adventure for the children--little did I know that it would turn out to be an adventure for the whole family. One by one the children entered the enclosure and were able to pet the 6 month old cubs. Since it was evening the cubs were more alert and aggressive so the attendant kept a more active presence. Well one of the cubs got around behind Skyler and nipped him in the leg. He was fine but definitely felt the bite, and as he walked out the attendant said, "Now you can tell everyone that you survived a lion attack." Little did we know how prophetic that statement would be as we loaded into the car and drove into the big lions' enclosures. As we entered enclosure #3 the lions were definitely preoccupied with something. Here is one lioness who we couldn't get to stop staring at whatever it was that she was focused upon.

But a little further on we ran into a group of about 12-15 teenage lions whose manes were not fully developed and they began to stare at the bumper of the car. Then they began to get into their crouch and inch toward the car like they were going to attack. So David, our host, backed up and they really starting coming at the car; then he drove towards them and they would back off for a few seconds before coming at the car. They began to paw at the front of the car and we were concerned that they would pop a tire. We felt something in back and turned around to see a lion up on the car looking in the window.


Then he started to chew on the plastic in back. I turned around and there was one staring in my window, eye to eye and inches from my face. As we looked back at the front they began to bite at the front and before long they tore the chrome off the front bumper. I hope to be able to put some of the video of it up on the web, but it was amazing. The only thing that we can figure is that the settomg sun reflecting off the chrome drew their attention. It didn't matter what enclosure we went into, the same thing happened. Poor David's car. Here is a picture of the punctures in the front bumper from their bites.


We praise God for His protection and we've gained a new appreciation for both the strength and intimidation of a lion. Come and visit and you may get the experience of a lifetime.